Creation and Collapse Of The Weimar Republic Flashcards
What is a Constitution?
A set of principals that set out the distribution of power within a political system, the relationships between political institutions, the limits of government jurisdiction, the rights of citizens and the method of amending the constitution itself.
What is the main purpose of a Constitution?
It’s a legal limit for the government and the people, it also creates a boundary.
Reasons why the Constitution was necessary
- ‘Revolution from above’
- The main political parties wanted a greater say in the management of the country
- The military wanted the new government to be blamed for the loss of the war
- To deal with the economic collapse and stop workers etc from mutiny
Some primary left wing ideas
- Promoting equality
- High taxation (redistribute wealth from richest to poorest)
- Represent working class
- Health and unemployment benefits
- Expanded role for the government
- State ownership and control of economy
- Look to the future (idealist)
Some right wing ideas
- Value tradition and authority
- Freedom is more important than equality
- Low taxation (keep your own money)
- Private enterprise and free market
- Less welfare
- Power of government is minimised
- Support middle and upper classes
German parties from far left to far right
KPD (Communist) USPD (Independent socialists) SPD (Social Democratics) Centre DDP (Democratic) DVP (German people's) DNVP (German national people's) NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers)
KPD (Communist Party) information
Ernst Thalman
Working class & ex USPD
Destroy the Republic/capitalism with violence
Oppose the Treaty of Versailles
USPD (Independent socialists) information
Broke away from SPD in 1917
Industrial workers disillusioned with SPD
Against democracy
Oppose Treaty of Versailles
SPD (Social democratic) information
Friedrich Ebert Represent working class Supports democracy Against far left Support social reform Support Treaty of Versailles
Centre party information
Heinrich Bruning and Franz Von Papen
German Catholics
Supports republic
Support Treaty of Versailles
DDP (Democratic) Information
Middle class and business interests
Supports the Republic
Supports social reform
Support the Treaty of Versailles
DVP (German people’s party) information
Gustav Stresemann
Conservative and monarchist
Grows to support the Republic
White collar workers, industrialists and businesses
Against Treaty of Versailles but agree to fulfil it
DNVP (National People’s party) information
Hostile to Republic Want the monarchy to return Conservative Anti-socialist and anti-Semitic Reject Treaty of Versailles Nationalists and want union with Austria
NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers Party) information
Adolf Hitler
Anti-Republic, Anti-Semitic
Strongly nationalist
Main similarities between the old and new Weimar Constitution
- Both can rule without Reichstag in emergency
- Laws need approval of majority of Reichstag deputies
- Head of state can appoint chancellors
Main differences between the old and new Weimar Constitution
- Inherited leader vs elected leader
- Reichstag now can be elected by men and women
- Now introduced more social rights
- Became a federal state
Failure of the voting system
Proportional representation meant the proportion of votes was the same to the seats in the Reichstag, this meant it required many coalitions and weak governments
Failure of Emergency Powers
Article 48 meant the president can give the chancellor powers who can suspend the constitution and rule by decree and suspend all laws for a limited period of time, this was often used too much
Civil rights in the Constitution
Universal suffrage
People could pass laws through plebiscites
Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly were protected
Why did many Germans dislike the new civil rights?
They said how Germany had suddenly become the most radical democracy in Europe
What was the problem with passing laws in the federal system?
The 17 states had their own Lander governments and were responsible for police, education and law, but any laws they passed could be overruled by the Reichstag
Article 48 under President Ebert
Successful, suppressed uprisings by workers in Saxony, Thuringia and the Ruhr. Only time it wasn’t was when the army refused to help with the Kapp Putsch, it was the key to defending the Republic from enemies.
Article 48 under President Hinden
Believed in authority and that parliament was the enemy of a good government. Removed the Democratic state government in Prussia in 1932. Used article 48 44 times in 1931 and 69 times in 1932
Ways the constitution strengthened the Republic
- Germany had an official national army
- Men and women considered equals and adults could vote
- Freedom of speech and to protest
- Ebert used Article 48 to defend the Republic from revolution
Ways the constitution weakened the Republic
- Many questioned as to what was classed as an emergency for Article 48
- Proportional representation
- Extremist parties only needed 60,000 votes for a seat
Political Divisions
KPD had 70 seats in 1930 but would not cooperate with other parties.
USPD disbanded in mid 1920’s
SPD Socialists led most of the coalition governments 1919-1933
20 separate coalitions longest lasted 2 years
Ebert used Article 48 over 100 times 1923-24
Moderate Parties were weak
DDP could not attract mass support 5% 1928 and 1% 1932
Centre Party strongly associated with Roman Catholicism which diminishes its broader appeal
Several parties did not support the Republic
DNVP opposed the Weimar Republic until 1925
DVP was hostile to the Republic until mid 1920’s
KPD and NSDAP never supported the Republic and grew more powerful from 1930
Key aspects of the KPD from 1929-1933
1928-11% vote 1932-17%
Over 360,000 members who were mostly from industrial working classes
Didn’t cooperate with other parties and were funded a lot by the USSR
Red front had over 130,000 members and often fought with the Nazi SA
30 were shot by police in June 1932
Key aspects of the NSDAP from 1929-1933
1928-3% vote 1933-44%
Targeted small business owners and respected women and promised to protect Germany from communism. Protect traditional values and provide work, offered national rebirth and opposed democracy.
Soldiers and unemployed men joined the SA, intimidated others and refused to work with other parties
How did extremist parties weaken the Weimar Republic?
They both opposed democracy
Refused to work with other parties
Were willing to use violence
Give ways the failure of the Weimar was not down to political parties
The SPD were always the biggest party until 1932 and they supported democracy
Grand coalition formed by Muller in 1928 did well with things like the Young Plan and naval construction program
The Wall Street Crash in 1929 gave massive support to the NSDAP which wasn’t the other parties fault
Who are the Freikorps?
Ex-soldiers or those who wanted to be fighting in the war. Worked alongside the army to stop many uprisings including the Spartacist uprising. Helped legitimise the use of political violence and the use of nationalist violence against the political left
How did the judiciary weaken the Republic?
Only one man was brought to justice for the murder of Rathenau (finance minister) even though a gang was responsible
Favoured the right, Hitler was given 5 years after the Munich Putsch in 1924 whereas Fechenbach was given 11 years after the Bavarian revolutionary government in 1918
How did the army weaken the Republic?
The army was dominated by the Prussian Junker elite who were against democracy
How did the civil service weaken the Republic?
They weren’t loyal to the government and would often allow fight between the SA and Red front to happen in the streets
Strengths and weaknesses with Eberts rule?
Strengths: Gifted negotiator, wanted to improve pay of German workers, made an alliance with the right wing to stop communism
Weaknesses: Acceptance of ToV was unpopular, Ebert-Groener pact gave army too much independence, used emergency powers often between 1923-1924
Strengths and weaknesses under Hindenburg’s rule
Strengths: Viewed as a hero, got the right wing to support the Weimar, was leader during the Grand coalition
Weaknesses: Favoured replacing democracy with authoritarian rule, appointed authoritarian chancellors and increasingly used Article 48
